Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > Aspen Education Group

My son at Aspen Ranch

<< < (2/119) > >>

TheWho:
I just recently left Aspen Ranch (during the July parent week), graduating as a Rider. I was there for over 16 months! The substance abuse counselor was my primary therapist! I had a lot of problems going there, personal as well as a fucked up family. I've now ben home for 3 months and am doing great. I haven't relapsed or really even considered it.

Aspen was a great place! We didn't get pizza from the local place once a week, but we did get it on parent week and for special occasions. The food wasn't great but it was certainly bearable (and I'm picky!). The staff was AWESOME (most anyways), they were very caring and devoted. There have been MANY changes in staff and rules in the past 6 months there as well, so check it out! Sure I had my rough times, everyone does! I would defenitely recommend it if you're kids having a rough time, but be sure to check it out before to see if you think your kid would be a good fit.

And to whoever posted about seeing kids doing pull-ups with a man with a radio....he was the personal trainer! I was in Personal Training for over a year there and it helped a lot! I've never heard a complaint about PT, kids can sign up for an extra fee through a past navy seal who really pushes you hard! And there's a LONG waiting list.

Thanks, and please no one tell me I'm lying....when I left I was 2nd in seniority out of everyone there at the time! And to those parents who have kids there now...I wouldn't doubt if I knew them!

original post

TheWho:
the important thing is the place has...without a single doubt...saved our daughter's life. TO sum up some of the other things: She's graduating from high school a year EARLY, and home-district had her do testing (plus she had a great SAT score) so it's no fluke, and she gets a DUAL diploma from Utah and our home state. She's happy, healthy - recently had another home visit that was totally without issues. She has direction in her life, and although she will have on going therapy for some time due to the trauma that triggered her particular problems, she understands it and is dealing with it from a healthy perspective.

A side benefit is she already has a part-time job (while she goes to college) working for a horse trainer...which is good, because the downside (if you can call it that) is she/we are in the process of buying a horse! But, since she's no looking into equine-related veterinary medicine, that's really a benefit.

I'm truly sorry a lot of you just do not understand the program, but it seems you're just going off the slanted "Brat Camp" stories, and piling on based on crap posted by people with NO facts, who've never been there, and have never spoken to a student or parent who has.

TheWho:
We were at Parent Week a couple weeks ago - our daughter was MUCH better, a lot of her old-self coming back. She was excitied that she was close to earning her saddle (certain horsemanship classes have to be completed before you get off barebak riding), has pretty much adopted her "own" horse, and is thriving. The only negative things I can comment on are a lot of hazing of new kids - but again, this is usual stuff at any "boarding" school, whether for troubled teens or not - and the staff deals with it appropriately.

We had plenty of time to meet with and ask questions of staff, could wander around and check out anything just about any time, ate with the kids and staff (comments were "hey, you guys are getting the same stuff we get", which was pretty decent. A lot of cafeteria-type food on a more nutritious scale, much recognizable Costco-branded stuff). Pizza one day from a local (THE local...) pizza place, which the kids get once a week.......

YOU CAN FINISH READING THE POST HERE,IF INTERESTED.

psy:
And since they're anonymous the above posts very well might all have been written by an aspen representative.  It's called astroturfing, is very common, and in some cases can be illegal, especially when it misrepresents the product.  You might also want to note that there are hundreds if not thousands of posts on this forum giving not-so-great reviews of aspen programs.

See also Sockpuppeteering (multiple internet personas talking to themselves) and Fraudience (people hired to act as satisfied customers).

If you want a bona-fide review of a program, talk to somebody (preferably more than one) who has been in the program and has been out for a few years and had time to think about it.  Many have left their emails on this forum or have registered accounts here.  Check out the aspen forum for contact info (use the PM button or the email button)  If all you're hearing is "this program saved my life and there is nothing negative there whatsoever", chances are there is a problem and you are being manipulated.  Think about it.  Even at the best schools and colleges reviews are mixed ("I liked this but this was so so and this I didn't care for very much").  If it sounds like advertising, it probably is.  It *does* happen on this forum a lot.  Especially in relation to Aspen programs.  This is one of the very reasons the GAO did an entire half of their investigation (and report) on misleading/fradulent advertising in this industry.

You can read the report here:
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-713T
Video here:
http://edwork.edgeboss.net/wmedia/edwor ... 042408.wvx

The first GAO report on abuse and death in residential treatment and wilderness can be found here:
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08146t.pdf
Video here (includes information about a death in an Aspen program if I remember correctly).
http://edwork.edgeboss.net/wmedia/edwor ... 101007.asx

Oscar:
Of course a place can change but a place where orange jumpsuit is the norm and kids placed in the basement so they can break down in not what a depressed kid need. The datasheet we have on this place have testimonies going back to when they founded it. One statement is: Past: Aspen Ranch - illusion of success blog.

Heal-online can also provide information from people who have been there.

If you doubt the testimonies you can interview some of the surivors on Facebook or Myspace. They are not exactly speaking of the place as life saving.

To the original poster: Listen to your wife.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page